Armenia: A day in the life of a school on the border

Arthur Bejanyan studied in this school. Several years later, when the Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire agreement was signed in 1994, he entered the school again, this time as a teacher. The school is 60 years old - the same as Arthur.

Janitors play a special role in the school’s life as they keep an eye on children during breaks to ensure that they do not hurt themselves. To work and live in a border village is synonymous with constant duality: stillness and tension, hope and concern, light and shadow.

Despite the security risks, children, living in communities along the border, between Armenia and Azerbaijan, go to school every morning.

For an outsider, their lives may appear normal, but appearances can be deceptive. It is only when one interacts with the children who attend school, or their teachers, that the gravity of the situation becomes evident.

Read about the lives of children attending one such school in Tavush Region of Armenia.

The ICRC works on both sides of the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan to help people deal with the security situation, loss of livelihood and lack of economic opportunities.